Upper Mustang

Kingdom of Lo / Mustang གློ་ཡུལ། གློ་སྨན་ཐང་། (Tibetan) मुस्ताङ राज्य (Nepali)
1380–2008
Flag
Upper & lower Mustang with local level bodies
Status	Independent sovereign state (1380-1964) Dependency of Nepal (1964-2008)
Capital	Lo Manthang
Official languages	Tibetan and Nepali
Religion	Hinduism Tibetan Buddhism Kiratism Animism Nepalese Shamanism
Government	Monarchy
Raja/Gyelpo (King)
• 1380-1400s (first)	Ame Pal
• 1964-2008 (last)	Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista
History
• Established	1380
• Abolished by the Federal government	7 October 2008
Area
• Total	2,020[1] km2 (780 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	7,000[1]
• Density	3.47/km2 (9.0/sq mi)
Succeeded by Mustang District
Today part of	Nepal

Upper Mustang (formerly Kingdom of Lo) is an upper part (Northern area) of Mustang District, which is located in Nepal. The Upper Mustang was a restricted kingdom until 1992 which makes it one of the most preserved regions in the world, with a majority of the population still speaking traditional Tibetic languages. Tibetan culture has been preserved by the relative isolation of the region from the outside world. Life in Mustang revolves around tourism, animal husbandry and trade.

The Upper Mustang comprises the northern two-thirds of the Mustang District of Gandaki Province, Nepal. It consists of three rural municipalities namely Lo Manthang, Dalome and Baragung Muktichhetra.

The southern third (lower Mustang) of the district is called Thak and is the homeland of the Thakali community, who speak the Thakali language and whose culture combines Tibetan and Nepalese elements.

Mustang's status as a kingdom ended in 2008 when its suzerain Kingdom of Nepal became a republic. The influence of the outside world, especially China, is growing and contributing to rapid change in the lives of Mustang's people.^[2] Development work has increased in recent years.